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Duffer Brothers to Keynote Chapman Commencement
23 Apr
Summary
- Duffer Brothers will deliver keynote address at commencement.
- Chapman University will present honorary doctorates.
- The ceremony celebrates the class of 2026.
Matt and Ross Duffer, graduates of Chapman University's class of 2007, are returning to their alma mater to deliver the keynote address at the commencement ceremony for the class of 2026. The event is scheduled to take place on May 22 at Wilson Field. More than 3,000 graduates will be celebrated, with 850 earning advanced degrees.
In addition to their keynote speech, the Duffer Brothers will be honored with honorary doctorates from Chapman University. This distinction acknowledges their immense success as the masterminds behind Netflix's globally popular horror franchise, Stranger Things. The cultural phenomenon concluded its highly anticipated final season in December 2025.
Since graduating from Chapman's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, the Duffer Brothers have established a significant presence in Hollywood. In 2022, they launched Upside Down Pictures, expanding their creative ventures across film, television, and stage productions. Their current projects include the Tony Award-winning stage plays Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a live-action Stranger Things spin-off, an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales from '85, and two new Netflix series.
The Duffer Brothers are also slated to receive a visionary tribute for Stranger Things at the third annual Gotham Television Awards on June 1 in New York. Chapman University president Matt Parlow praised the brothers as "bold storytellers" whose journey serves as an inspiration to graduates.
